Id releases new beta of Quake III for Win32 only

Gaming giant Id Software released the second public beta of its upcoming game Quake III Arena this weekend. Q3Test 1.6, as the release is known, runs only on 32-bit Windows systems such as Windows 9x, Windows NT, and Windows 2000. Macintosh and Linux versions are expected sometime later.

Quake III Arena is a winner: In addition to the two deathmatch-only levels introduced in the first "Q3Test," this version sports a new level and the return of an old weapon favorite, the lightning gun. And Quake III obviates the need for separate programs to find Internet servers: The functionality is built right in. I was online, trading frags with opponents, within seconds. Unlike previous Quake games, the game plays well with relatively low-speed connections, but it will also take advantage of the latest and greatest 3D accelerators, offering a visual clarity that is unmatched elsewhere.